Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
The Guajillo (wha-hee-oh) chile is the most common dried chile in Mexico after the Ancho. The flavor of the Guajillo is distinct, slightly fruity with a strong piney, berry under taste. Guajillo flavors dished easily so a little goes a long way. This chile is between a 2-4 on the heat scale of 1-10. Guajillo, combined with the Passilla and Ancho, form the holy trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces.
Ingredients:
Half piece canned bamboo shoots – julienne
1 small carrot – julienne
2 slices ginger – julienne
2 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked in water until soften) – slice thinly
1-2 dried chiles
2 pieces dried black fungus (soak in water until soften) – slice thinly
Half piece soft tofu – slice thinly
½ egg – beaten
500 ml chicken stock
Spring onion – to garnish
Optional: sliced pork, chicken or even seafood
Seasoning:
2 tsp white pepper
2 – 3 tbsp white vinegar (or more if you like it sour) – I used black vinegar
¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
Few dashes dark soy sauce – for color
3 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water (to thicken the soup)
Full instructions:
Prepare all the ingredients by cutting them into even sizes.
In a medium pot, add in chicken stock and bring to boil.
Add in carrot, ginger, Chinese mushroom, dried chile, and dried black fungus. Bring to boil again. Lower heat and cook for 10 mins.
Add in all the seasoning except cornstarch mixture and stir well. Give it a taste and adjust with more vinegar, pepper or sesame oil if needed.
Add in the cornstarch slowly and keep stirring until it reaches your desired consistency. You might have to use more or less. It is better to add less and adjust with more if needed.
Add in the tofu and lastly, drizzle the beaten egg while stirring the soup.
Serve hot and garnish with spring onions.
Slightly adapted from bearnakedfood.com